In speaking with reporters, McGarity referenced high ticket prices at Ohio State that give the Buckeyes a profit of roughly $7 million per game.

“We in turn net approximately $2.25 million every year,” McGarity said. “So there’s a wide, wide gap and I think it dovetails into the market or the accessibility to these non-conference teams (as opponents). It’s going to turn into a bidding war, because if School A can go to Ohio State and have a guarantee of $1.5 million, that makes business sense, because they’re generating $7 million a game. But that race for trying to find opponents is going to increase, and it’s going to be very competitive. Not only do we need it for that standpoint, but costs aren’t going down.”

Now, for the sake of argument, let’s skip past the point that when you toss in Hartman Fund contributions, the revenue gap between what Georgia football (“$23.4 is budgeted to be from the Hartman Fund, $22.5 is budgeted to come from football tickets”) and Ohio State football ($48,761,850.00 as of fiscal year 2011-2) pull in shrinks dramatically. And never mind that Big Ten schools revenue share gate receipts from football games. Here’s what I want to know: if Greg McGarity is so concerned about the rising cost of non-conference games, isn’t that a strong justification for going to a nine-game SEC schedule?

This is directed to those of you who advocate discontinuing the Georgia-Georgia Tech series. Take a look at this chart:

Mark Richt is 5-0 against a major conference opponent that’s 31-19 (62% winning percentage) against all other power conference opposition over the past five seasons. That record includes Richt’s two worst teams in thirteen seasons, mind you. As we enter an era when strength of schedule becomes more important than ever, other than to gain a temporary moment of smug satisfaction, why on earth would you want to give that away?

Bonus question for the subset that wants to schedule Georgia State or Georgia Southern instead: are you out of your damned minds?

Quote Of The Day

“It brings back a great Bulldog running back in Thomas who has NFL playing experience and has had success as a college coach at multiple schools. He also inherits a position that has been built to an elite level by Bryan. And it gives Bryan the opportunity to return to coaching the position he played and the one where he cut his teeth serving as a graduate assistant under wide receiver coach John Eason here at UGA. It also provides him with a new experience as a passing game coordinator.” -- Mark Richt, AB-H, 2/16/15